


Imaginary

by waterbird13



Series: Tumblr Fics [161]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, and imaginary friends, but FYI I haven't been able to watch since then, discussion of zanna, not a big thing but you should know regardless, post Sam going into the cage, season eleven, those details aren't important regardless, you should all know I'm critical of some of Dean's choices
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-07
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-13 15:17:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7981255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waterbird13/pseuds/waterbird13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Sully comes back to help look after Sam, Dean has to know.</p><p>He didn't grow up that different than Sam, after all. Why didn't he get an imaginary friend?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Imaginary

**Author's Note:**

> This is another piece from Tumblr.
> 
> Sam is offscreen, laid up post cage. Sully and Dean discuss imaginary friends and Sam and Dean's childhoods.

Sully keeps coming over to be with Sam. It’s good, especially now, because Sam needs people there for him. Not that Dean isn’t there, because he is, he’s trying his best to be. But Sam’s kind of wrecked right now, and he needs more than one person. So, Sully’s helpful.

Dean’s in the kitchen, trying to put together dinner–and seriously, who besides his brother even eats brussel sprouts, they’re not a real food, okay–when Sully walks in. “Sam’s asleep.”

That’s good. Sam needs to sleep more.

Sully sits at the table and seems to watch Dean work. It’s not annoying, not intrusive or anything, but it constantly reminds Dean of the guy’s presence, and leaves him gritting his teeth.

“You know,” he says, voice almost conversational as he sets the chicken into the oven. “I was…I didn’t grow up that different than Sam. So why’d you guys show up for him and not for me?”

He doesn’t turn to look at Sully, but he’s not a hunter for nothing. He can hear how still the guy has gotten. “Zannas come to children who are lonely. Kids who don’t feel like they have anyone else.”

“Sam had me!” Dean bursts out. He’s glad Sully was there when he couldn’t be, but this still nags at him, the implication that he wasn’t enough. And anyway, Dean had Sam. If that’s all it takes to get an imaginary friend…

“Did he?” Sully asks. “I mean, you loved him. Everyone could see that. But you went to your Dad first, Dean. You worked hard for it, and your Dad rewarded you. He at least paid attention to you.”

Dean was John’s right-hand, that didn’t make it good. He hunted with him, kept the family in line for him. It was hard work. Work a kid shouldn’t have to do.

Sully continues talking. “There’s only so many of us Zanna in any one area. Sometimes we have to make choices. You didn’t have a perfect childhood, Dean. But you had four years knowing you were loved, and a father who looked to you and was there with you, and a brother who looked up to you. Other hunters respected you too. It wasn’t perfect, but it helped you, and it made you feel good about yourself. Besides…it’s important for our kids to accept us. Would you have accepted an imaginary friend?”

Probably not. Dean might have gotten a shotgun if some random thing appeared one day. Maybe he’d have taken one like Sully, but if he got the stupid unicorn or the mermaid…

Definitely would have shot them.

He realizes then that he never asked Sam how Sully turned up, how Sam believed him, why he trusted some weird thing. He supposes it doesn’t matter now, but some part of it still unnerves him. Sam never told him. He knew he had an imaginary friend but he never knew how it all started.

“Hey, you know,” Sully says, “I always wish there were more of us. So we could take on more kids. We have to make some tough choices sometimes. Maybe we could have helped you. But you seem like you’re doing…okay…even without us.”

Sully’s made his opinions on some of the things Dean’s done perfectly clear. “Think I would have been a better person if I had an imaginary friend?” he asks, smirking at the stove.

“We don’t change who you are. Just make things a little easier. Help out here and there. Give you some confidence. Hard to say what would have changed. Maybe you’d have left with Sam. Gone to school too. Something. Maybe nothing.”

Well that sounds…like something Dean doesn’t want to deal with. “Go check on Sam,” he says. “Tell him dinner is almost ready. See if he wants to eat out here or in his room.”

“Alright,” Sully says, hopping up to check on Sam because that’s his thing. More than twenty years later, the guy’s still looking out for Sam. Then he pauses. “Hey, Dean?”

“Yeah.”

“Sam’s my friend. I’ve been his friend for a long time now. But I have lots of friends, okay? And if you want to…”

Dean doesn’t smile. “Go check on Sam,” he repeats.

Sully leaves, and _then_ Dean smiles, just a little bit.

He’s too old for imaginary friends, or he should be, anyways.


End file.
